The Curse of Copper (No. 306)

First Aired Sunday, November 18, 2007

In 1997, noted Harvard ecologist E.O. Wilson wrote to a small community in the remote cloud forest region of Ecuador, urging them to continue their fight against the scourge of copper mining in perhaps the most biodiverse hotspot on Earth. Ten years later, the fight continues amid allegations of bribery, threats and coercion by the mining company. In conjunction with Earth Day, we celebrate this community-led resistance as an example of how even the smallest village can stand up against the most powerful forces of industrial exploitation.